Face Down
by Bat Utonium
Summary: Three years after the final battle, the aliens come back to Earth for a visit, and Kisshu wants to apologize to Ichigo. What happens when he watches how Masaya treats Ichigo? Based on the song Face Down by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.


**You have no idea how many titles ran through my head when I was writing this, but I stuck with this one because I wrote it based on the song Face Down by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.**

**Enjoy!**

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It had been three years since the aliens left Earth- three years since he had seen _her_. Kisshu, Pai, and Taruto had healed their planet, and decided to take a trip back to Earth to get away from the excessive thank-yous from their race. He didn't expect her to want to see him, but he had done some thinking when he was back at home and wanted to at least apologize to the cat-girl who he tormented those years ago. Did she look the same? Did she still live at the same place? Was she still dating the tree-hugger? He willed the last thought out of his mind, trying to forget his feelings for her as he had done so many times before, but it was still impossible not to think about the redheaded girl named Ichigo. Sighing, he decided to check and see if she was still living at the same place. He teleported onto the tree branch just outside of her room and looked in, and there she was, applying her makeup. He smiled. She looked beautiful as ever, and had even kept the same hairstyle as she had when she was thirteen. However, he noticed something- her hands were shaking as she applied the mascara to her eyelashes. He watched as she put away the bottle and looked straight into the mirror. As her lips moved, Kisshu teleported closer so he could hear. "It won't happen again," she smiled. "He loves me, right? And I love him, right?" she said. Her smile began to fade. She took in a shaky breath and picked up her bag. Kisshu's ears drooped once he realized that she was still dating the tree-hugger. Nonetheless, he followed her once she left her house, and discovered that she was going to the tree-hugger's house. Kisshu frowned as she knocked and he opened the door. Looking in the window, he saw the two of them in the living room. He couldn't hear anything, but he could see that Masaya looked angry and Ichigo looked scared. He watched as Masaya went from what looked like speaking to yelling, then from yelling to slapping her. Ichigo fell.

"Ichigo!" Kisshu shouted, teleporting into the house between the two.

"Kisshu?" Ichigo whispered, tears beginning to run down her face.

"What are you doing here?" Masaya demanded.

"What are you doing hurting Ichigo?" Kisshu asked as he summoned his dragon swords.

"It's none of your business!" Masaya shouted, trying to move Kisshu out of the way, but to no avail. The alien pinned him up against the wall and held a blade to the tree-hugger's neck.

"Kisshu stop!" Ichigo shouted. Kisshu froze. "Just because he's a terrible person doesn't mean he deserves to die!" she cried. Kisshu didn't understand her logic, but backed away from the human anyway.

"Get out," Masaya croaked as he held his neck. He was knelt on the floor, breathing heavily. Kisshu and Ichigo didn't move. "I said, get out!" he repeated. Kisshu glared at him and took Ichigo's hand, teleporting back to her house. Ichigo burst into tears.

"I really thought he loved me!" she sobbed. Kisshu picked her up, and discovered that she was surprisingly light. He sat on the bed with her in his arms as she cried.

"Ichigo… I'm sorry," was all Kisshu could muster. Sure, he wanted her to dump the tree-hugger, but he didn't want her to be hurt in any way in the process. It started raining outside and Kisshu looked at the clock. It was ten thirty-five. He looked down at the redhead and noticed that her sobs had stopped. Gently as he could, he laid her down in her bed and covered her up with the sheets. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he began to teleport but was stopped by a hand around his wrist.

"Kisshu," Ichigo croaked, her voice hoarse. "Stay," she said. Surprised, he turned around to look at her. He smiled and joined her under the covers.

"Ichigo?" he called, and she looked at him with red eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry… for what I did when we were younger," Kisshu sighed, ashamed of himself. He was surprised when he felt her lips press softly against his.

"Apology accepted," she grinned, sinking into the covers and falling asleep. Stunned, Kisshu tried to do the same. That day, he answered all of his questions from when he arrived. She didn't look the same- she was more beautiful than he remembered. She lived in the same place, and it still smelled of fresh strawberries. Most importantly, she was no longer dating the tree-hugger, which possibly meant… another chance?

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**Another Chance was one of my ideas for a title, FYI. R&R!**


End file.
